Special Service and Features
Operationalisation of New Integrated Terminal Building of Chennai Airport
The New Integrated Terminal Building  of Chennai International Airport was inaugurated by Hon’blePrime Minister of Indiaon 08th April’23. The new terminal spanning 1,36,295 Sqm. is GRIHA  compliant, embracing various eco-friendly features including skylights.The addition of NITB will increase the passenger serving capacity of the airport from 23 Million Passengers Per Annum  to 30 MPPA. The new terminal design is a striking reflection of the local Tamil culture, incorporating traditional features such as the kolam, saree, temples, and other elements that highlight the natural surroundings. A host of new facilities knotted with cutting edge technologyare in place in new terminal will ensure passenger flow is smooth and safety/security aspects are given topmost priority. The Automated Tray Retrieval System , Self-Baggage Drop , Passenger Flow Monitoring System  and Boarding Process Control – E gates will enhance passenger convenience during transit. New check-in counters , Immigration counters , baggage reclaim belts  elevators , escalators  and walkalator  will significantly elevate passenger experience. The new terminal has state of the art Baggage Handling System  which will minimize any occurrence of mishandled baggage and will have an efficient baggage tracking system.
AAI has also taken up works to enhance operational area, efficiency of Chennai Airport by constructing Rapid Exit Taxiways and Taxiways to themain runway . The RETs will reduce runway occupancy time ofaircraft and will increase the aircraft handling capacity of airport. Theintroduction of MARS  ensures optimalusage of Apron bays.
Migration plan:
Migration is a systematic process planned and executed in phases for seamless shifting of airport operations from existing/old to a new terminal. Chennai Airport team has made sure footed strides with the NITB , and the first trial run of international operations is expected to be conducted on 25thApril 2023 in line with ORATprocess.ORAT  is the project management process of taking a newly constructed airport or part of an airport and turning it into an operational facility.US Bangla airlines, flying Chennai-Dhaka sector will be first to operate from New Integrated Terminal Building.
At present International Operations at Chennai Airport is functioning as Terminal-04  and Terminal-03 . Themigration is intendedin a phased manner with shifting of terminal operations from existing terminals to the new terminal . This includesshifting all airlines and offices, F&B,Retail, Governmental agencies and allied infrastructure in airside for seamless operations.
The old terminals and new terminal will have simultaneous operations during the initial phases. To begin with, selected airlines with narrow body aircraft will operate from the new terminal, followed by inclusion of all narrow bodied operators  in the next phase which is likely in May 2023. The operations will cater to both International arrivals and Departures. This will be followed by adding of all wide body operators  as the operations in new terminal stabilise to accommodate the passenger requirement. Any teething troubles cropping up during trial and initial phases of operations will be reviwed and addressed to esnsure smooth operational flow thereafter.
Once the migration is completed, the existing T-4 will be converted to Domestic terminal and T-3 will be demolished for taking up NITB phase-II work.
The new terminal of Chennai Airport is ever so close to commencing operations and the Chennai team is putting all efforts to deliver a splendid terminal to passengers. With operationalisation of new terminal, Chennai Airport will easily qualifyas one of the unique engineering marvels and most importantly oneirresistible experience that every passenger would want to cherishand admire till the time spent in terminal.The ORAT process encompasses every possible mechanism in the operation of an airport, ranging from the design and maintenance of infrastructure to the lease management of duty-free shops, training of airlines staff and management of spaces in terminal. This complex process involves all the stakeholders from an early stage so that the new airport facility functions perfectly from day one.